4 Ways To Block Noise From Your Neighbor

Most materials that make up our home have an STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating which is an indicator as to how much sound it can block before it passes through its surface. If you are able to hear noise from your home then it might mean that the STC rating of the materials around your house is not sufficient to block the intensity of the sound from your neighbors. To alleviate the noise you’re experiencing, here are some tips on how to block such noise:

1. Install A Drywall and Acoustic Board

 If the noise is coming from the sides or your walls, then it’s better to install a dry wall of at least ⅝” so that another layer of material blocks the sound from your walls. You can screw it using studs into your current wall. Also check your wall if it has any holes, if there are any it’s best to seal it as sound travels faster if there it is not passing through any solid medium. If the annoying sound you’re experiencing is minimal but not tolerable, you can simply use a panel where you can hang a thick fabric . The thick fabric will absorb sound from your wall. Adding such fabric is another opportunity to increase the good ambiance inside your home. Another efficient way to block sounds from the walls is by the use of acoustic boards.  Acoustic boards are special boards whose material composition is strong on sound absorption.

2. Drop Ceiling

Do you live in a condominium and the noise is coming from your neighbor on the next floor?  The best way to deal with it is to add a drop ceiling. A drop ceiling is basically another layer of ceiling from your normal ceiling. Although adding a drop ceiling can be quite an investment, you can maximize it by adding another sound absorbing material in between your existing ceiling and drop ceiling. This way, the sound coming above is blocked or decreased. However, if you are on a budget, you can simply add another layer of drywall from your ceiling. This would be easy to install and much cheaper than having to build and complete another ceiling.

3. Padding, Carpeting and Fabric

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4. Curtains or Double Pane Windows

For noises coming outside your house, and passing through the window, there are two possible ways to deal with this:

a) Double Pane Windows – Also known as the dual pane windows. These windows have two panes of glass on both sides of the frame of the window. Such windows block sounds because of the air pocket in between the two glass. 

b) Curtains – if you’re looking for a cheaper and easy-to-install option, you can use fabric. Just like the previous methods, curtains, especially those made with high sound absorbing fabric can block the noise coming through your window.